Portable tray stand



Allg 29, 1950 M. B. AUSTIN, JR 2,520,450

PORTABLE TRAY STAND Filed sept. 17, 194e l :./5 INVENToR.

ATTONE'KS' Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE TRAY STAND Merritt B. Austin, Jr., Kenilworth, Ill.

Application September 17, 1946, Serial No. 697,428

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-156) This application relates. to a portable tray stand for use on lawns, terraces, verandas, beaches and the like, for holding drinks, smoking equipment and other articles.

It is an object of my invention to provide a stand for the aforesaid purposes, which is durable, easy to assemble, and to dismantle as for cleaning or for convenient transportation, economical to manufacture, adjustable to adapt it for maximum convenience of the user, stable in supporting articles on its tray when used on a flat surface such as a porch door as well as on uneven ground such as a lawn or beach, easily adaptable for use on a floor or on the ground, and at the same time having no tendency to mar the nish or paint on a floor, and readily portable from one place to another.

In accordance with my invention I provide a central rod for the stand, preferably of metal, having a handle at the top and a pointed tip at its lower end to facilitate thrusting same into the ground. Above its lower end, the rod carries stop means, such as a step plate, to provide additional stability when the rod is inserted in the ground. Above the step plate, my stand com-.1.

prises a tray secured to the rod and preferably adjustable to any desired level on the rod. Advantageously the tray comprises an ash receiver adapted for outdoor use, and removable from the tray for emptying or cleaning. All of the partsw are preferably removable from the rod so that the device can be readily shipped in dismantled condition, readily assembled, and readily taken apart for cleaning.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a central vertical section of the fully assembled stand in accordance with my invenf tion.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stand as employed on a porch or other flat surface.

Fig. 3 is a plan elevation of the tray stand.

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary detail of the lower end of my stand when used on a lawn.

Referring to the drawing, my stand comprises a central rod I E) having handle I I secured to its upper end, preferably so as to be removable therefrom as by means of set screw i2, and having at its lower end a pointed tip i3 to facilitate insertion of the rod into the ground. A base I4, as shown, comprises for example, a plate portion l5 adapted to rest firmly on a flat substantially horizontal surface such as the floor of a, porch or stone terrace, so as to support the stand in stable upright position. The base I4 comprises a central socket I6 for receiving the lower end of the rod, having vertical walls I'I for supporting the rod in a vertical position when inserted therein, and having stop means such as the inner tapered portion I8 for limiting insertion of the rod so as to prevent the pointed tip I3 from extending downward through the base into contact with the surface on which the base stands. In this way, when used with the base, the tip I3 of the rod I0 is prevented from marring, denting or scratching a painted or nished surface, such as a porch floor, and the tip I3 is also effectively Shielded from blunting contact with hard surfaces.

Preferably the base I4 includes means for securing the base to the rod I0 when inserted in socket I6; for example, a thumb or set screw I9 extending through the Vertical walls I1 of the socket so that when the thumb screw is: tightened 'against the rod, the base I4 can be lifted with the rod ID for moving the stand to another location on the porch by means of the handle II. Moreover, the base can be readily removed from the end of the rod Il] merely by loosening the thumb screw I9 when it is desired to remove th `stand to the lawn or beach.

The stand is supported on a lawn or beach, after removal of the base I4, by thrusting the pointed `lower end of the rod I0 into the ground., as shown in Fig. 4. In order to provide greater stability when the stand is used on a lawn or beach, the rod Ii! carries a step plate 20 having therein a central aperture 2| through which the rod I0 slidably extends. The plate portion 22 of the step plate extends horizontally from the rod, so that when the pointed lower end of the rod is thrust 4into the ground, the plate portion 22 of the step pil-ate 20 serves as a stop when it reaches the ground, and supports the rod in upright position.

The step plate 26 is secured, preferably releasably, to the rod I 0 adjacent its lower end. Thus,

1 the plate is advantageously secured to the rod by connecting the rim to the central rod-engaging portion `of the plate. When assembled with the rod, thethumb screw 23 is preferably on the upper side of the step plate in order t avoid contact with the ground when the stand is used on on a lawn or beach.

A tray 24 is provided which comprises for eX- ample a flat disk 25, having a rim 26, and an aperture El in a thickened central portion or hub 28 through which the rod lil slidably extends. The tra-y 2li is secured, preferably releasably, to the rod Eil 'above the step plate 12%; for example, by means of a thumb or set screw 29 in the hub 23, whereby the tray can be fastened to the rod and adjusted at any desired level.

The tray is preferably comprisesan ash receiver, adapted to be readily removed from the tray for emptying ashes and for cleaning. For example, a large aperture 3Q is formed on the tray to one side of the central portion 28, and a cup 3l is provided as an ash receiver which is supported in the aperture 39, for example, by its Itapering sides 32 engaging the periphery of the aperture's. The ash receiver 3.! is preferably made :deep enough 'to 'prevent ashes and debris from :being blown `out by the wind, when the stand is used outdoors. Moreover, the ash receiver d! preferably comprises one or more rests for cigars or cigarettes, for example, a .horizontally disposed holder of Ushaped crosssection, -'deep enough to prevent a lighted cigarette 'deposited 'therein Vrom blowing away.

The various parts of the stand are preferably `-constructed of metal, for example 'of iron, or

better ci Valuminum to render the device sturdy erlitt Vthe same time, relatively light in Weight for coe'ni'enoe rin transport/ation. The stand Acan be iinished in any desired manner or color.

'When the stand is used on a porch or other ilat surface l'adaptedto .provide a stable support for the base ifi, the trod it is inserted in the .socket .is 'and preferably secured therein by 'tightening the thumb screwV i9. The rod Il! is supported in upright position 'on the base by :engagement of 4its lower fend with vertical walls IT of the socket it@ regardless whether the thumb screw il@ is tightened. Generally, the thumb screw le vis .not tightened when it is desired 'to move the stand back .and forth between a porch `and lawn without .changing the location 'of the yba'sefli on the porch. On the other hand, to move it frorn place to place ion the porch, the thumb screw t@ is tightened, so that the base I4 is lifted l'together with the rod lil by .handle Il.

YThe 'stopmeans provided bythe "tapered portion the socket if@ on the base Hl, after releasing the securing means such as set screw I9, and the `pointed tip I3 Aat the lower end of the rod Il! is thrust V1nto the vground -until the step plate 2113 'rmly engages the surface of kthe ground. In this way lthe stand is 'firmly supported against tipping over while at the same time it can be readily lifted by means of the vhandle Il and returnedto itsbase M which remains meanwhile Aon the porch.

The height ofthe tray 2d. can be readily adjusted lby releasing the thumb screw '29 sliding the tray to any desired level above the step plate 2S, and tightening said thumb screw to hold the tray in the desired position on the rod Il).

The deep form of ash tray 3l and the deep cigarette holder s3 provided thereon prevent ashes and debris, as well as cigarettes left on the cigarette holder from blowing away in the wind. Moreover, the ash receiver can be readily removed for cleaning and emptying.

As indicated above, all of the parts of the stand are preferably made removable from the rod le, so that they can be conveniently dismantled for cleaning, or for reducing the stand to aLcompact form for convenient transportation.

Similarly, the .parts can be readily reassembled for'use.

The construction of the various parts of the stand in its preferred form is simple and economical, and assembly and dismantling thereof can be accomplished with a minimum number of operations. However, instead of securing the parts together by means of thumb or set screws, the `parts I(with the exception of the base) can be permanently attached to the rod i!! as by rivets, welding-or other means. However the demountable construction herein illustrated is preferred because of its i'leXibility and adaptability forfvarious conditions of use.

If desired, more than one 'tray of a shape simi- .lar to that cf the tray 2li, or for example a similar tray without the aperture 3| can be attached to the vrod 19in spaced relation to the tray 211 to accommodate a larger number of drinking .glasses or other'eauipment.

.Variations .modications may be Amade within the scope of this invention and portions of -themprovements may be used Without others.

vI claim.:

`l. A portable tray stand Vcomprising a base for supporting the stand on a iiat surface; a rod `having ahandle on its'upper-end, and a pointed tip Y.on :its lower end to facilitate thrusting the Vrod into the ground; -a socket on 'the base for receiving the lower end of the rod to support the same in upright .position on the base; a tapered portion in the lower end lof `said socket foren-gauging the Vlower Yend of the rod and supporting the same with the pointed tip above the level :of the surface 'on which the base rests; a step `-plate lslidably engaging the rod adjacent its lower end; a thumb screw Von the upper side of said step plate for .securing the Asarne in adiusted position on said rod, said step plate serving as stop means `for limiting .insertion vof the lower end ofthe rod .into the vground when removed from said base vand for supporting the rod in ,upright position by engagement with the ground;

i2. A convertible portable stand adapted for 'either groundvpenetrating support or flat surface Iresting support, comprising a rod having a tapered tip of a shape such that it can be readily forced Tinto the ground, and a base member for supporting the rod on a ilat surface, said base having a bottomless socket receiving the rod at its tapered end, a wall portion of said socket being arranged to contactthe tapered surface of said tip and being so located with respect to the surface-engaging portions of the base that the rod is prevented from penetrating the base to an extent sucent to contact a flat surface upon which the base rests.

MERRITT B. AUSTIN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES IATENTSv Name Date Miller Aug. 22, 1899 Johnson May 6, 1902 Leininger Dec. 23, 1902 Shogran Nov. 16, 1920 Peller Oct. 16, 1923 Shee Nov. 11, 1924 Schaefer Juliy 7, 1925 Lorton Apr. 17, 1928 Templin June 16, 1936 Strasser Feb. 13, 1940 

